Bali On The Cheap : The Exotic Island

Beautiful Bali! Now this one you cannot afford to miss out, for you definitely can afford to splash yourself crazy in this "Mother of all islands", and get to keep the balance of your travel budget. It's cheap, cheap, cheap!!! That's why the Australians are laughing all the way to the bank and ending up on the naked beaches of Bali!

No verbal description can do justice to this exotic island. You simply got to go there to feel the pleasure of a lay-back vacation without ever to worry about your pocket. Every year millions of tourists flock to the island of Bali, affectionately and spiritually called "The Island of the Gods". Just in case you still don't know where Bali is (which is quite unlikely), it is on the most easterly point off the Java island of Indonesia. Although Indonesia is a Muslim country, surprisingly Bali has a predominant Hindu population and therefore has a very unique Balinese-Hindu culture, tradition and religious rites and rituals. Here, you will witness the traditional Balinese dance accompanied by its own unique musical ensemble, which you will never find anywhere in the world. It is simply unique, fascinating and exotic!

Once you are on the island of Bali, you don't even realize that you are in Indonesia. The island is in a way isolated and shielded from the predominantly Muslim population in other parts of Indonesia. Being a 100% tourist-oriented island, the Indonesian government is bent to keep it that way, maintaining its pristine environment, jovial atmosphere, and most important of all, invitingly casual, accommodating and friendly.

Every year, millions of tourists flock to Bali. If you are visiting Indonesia, you cannot afford to miss out this exotic island of Bali. Visit Bali anytime of the year as the weather is always the same throughout the year. This is so because the island of Bali is a tropical island with sunshine all year round.

In Bali, you will be fascinated with local sourveniors, notably its exotic wood-carving crafts, and the poster paintings of nature. Wood-carving figurines and life-size statues depicting mythological creatures and pretty bare-chested women wearing the traditional "sarong" will take your breath away. I bet you will not resist to invest in some of them and return home with these fascinating and exotic sourveniors.

In fact it is not an exegeration that everyone who has been to Bali would return home with some Balinese sourvenirs! Even for me, I could not resist too. Take a look at the photo below of beautiful bare-chested teakwood carving of a local Balinese lady! I bought it when I was first there a long time ago. To be exact, in 1974; a good forty-two years ago! (This year 2016.) This figurine occupies the pride of place in my home up to this day. The photos depicted here were just taken by me a few minutes ago. You can see its quality, despite having displayed for a period outside the house, a few years back!

As in all Asian countries, street food is a common sight everywhere you go. Bali is no exception. However Bali is unique in that being a majority Hindu island, its street food is different from the rest of the country. Let me introduce you to two of the more popular authentic Balinese street food.

First on the list is “sate lilit”, meat skewered on little sticks and grilled over a slow charcoal fire. Sate lilit is not pronounced as “satellite” but “sat tay lee leet”! Sate lilit consists of minced meat marinated with grated coconut, coconut milk and shallots. The condiment meat is then pressed around little sticks of sugar cane, or lemon grass, or bamboo, and slowly grilled over low charcoal fire. There are a variety of meat to choose from; usually pork, fish, or chicken .

The second is “babi guling”, a special roast suckling pig item which is usually eaten with rice and other condiments. This is a very unique specialty only available in Bali and not other parts of Indonesia because Indonesia is a Muslim country. Muslims do not eat pork. By tradition, roast suckling pigs are actually religious ceremonial offerings practiced by the local Balinese Hindus. But due to its uniqueness and popularity, babi guling is now readily available throughout the island.

The piglet is stuffed with all sorts of spices and condiments such as shallots, and of course chillies, and other stuffs which the chef may fancy. Then it is roasted whole over a slow fire.

As tourism is the backbone of the island's economy, you will be pampered like a lord by the ever-friendly locals. The most popular town, Kuta has the island's largest public beach offering fun for surfers, and of course the area is crammed with bars, restaurants and nightclubs, the most famous being the Sari Club.

Bali has been voted by many travel and tourist agencies and magazines as the best island resort in the world, year after year. What else can anyone complain where the beaches are clean, the surfing is great, the food is dirt cheap, the locals friendliest in the world, a volcano to climb, temples to see, and exotic Balinese dance to charm you?

See you in Bali then!

But wait a minute; just when you are sold on Bali, there is this island paradise literally at my backyard that you will fall in love with. The Island Paradise Of Penang!

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